Ramblings...by Alyndabear

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Blog Being Reviewed: Ramblings by Alyndabear
Reviewed By: Diva Dee

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At First Glance: What the hell is "whinging"? Oh yeah, and your header graphic is grainy as hell.

Template/Design: The colors are OK, but it needs something more. It's a boxy, standard template, with an obviously altered header graphic. It's too grainy, and looks tacky.

Let me put it this way-- If you decided you wanted to write all of your thoughts and ideas in a journal instead of blogging, would you use a standard-issue Mead spiral notebook like my kids use for science notes? Or would you prefer a leather-bound journal, with gold-tipped pages-- something worthy of containing your profound wisdom?

I'd choose the latter. Bottom line-- 99.9% of bloggers say they write for themselves, and they don't care who reads it or what anyone else thinks. Now secretly, deep down, don't we all know that's a crock? If people truly didn't care who reads their blog, they'd save it as a Word document on your computer-- not on a public site for the world to see. I'll be the first to admit I WANT people to read my blog, I WANT comments, and the best way to do that is to find a template that makes people want to stick around long enough to actually read what you have to say. Girl, you're an elementary teacher, so I know you've got personality. Your blog template should mirror that.

As far as the sidebar goes (and this also will tie in to the "Content" part of my review) you've got the whole "About Me" arena covered. People, she's got the "100 Things", and she's even got a page for "New Readers" to learn just what kind of blog they are getting themselves into. Nice-- me likey.

Just a side thought... Why DO people put clocks and calendars on their blogs? I don't need a blog to tell me what day it is. It's unnecessary clutter, in my opinion.

And...To my readers, your vocabulary lesson for the day:

whinging: (verb) the practice of complaining and not doing anything about it

Content: It's decent. She's in her early twenties, (a good decade younger than myself). The best way to express how I felt reading this blog: I'm too fucking old to be reading this blog. Seriously. She's a school teacher that goes out and parties with her friends, and I felt old. And I felt tired. Just from reading her blog. Add my feeling of senility and gray hair coming on, to the fact that she likes to use exclamation points, and I'm ready for a nap.

I went to the store today! I bought some milk! They didn't have the kind I wanted, so I got a different brand! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The content is good, and there were a couple posts that made me sorta chuckle, but I didn't see anything that would make me hurry to blogroll her. Not her fault though, that she got stuck being reviewed by crochety Old Lady Diva Dee.

What is the first thing I would change about this blog? Definitely the template.

What is the best feature of this blog? She's got spunk(! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !) You should definitely give her a read, and form your own opinion.

Rating: 5! ! ! ! ! ! ! !